AIEI has been granted observer status at WIPO

The AI Ethics & Integrity International Association (AIEI) has been granted observer status at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), marking a significant step forward in the organization’s engagement with global policy on artificial intelligence, ethics and innovation.

What is WIPO?

Established in 1967, WIPO brings together 193 member states and serves as a global policy forum where governments, intergovernmental organizations, industry groups and civil society come together to address evolving intellectual property issues. 

Beyond setting international IP norms, WIPO provides services that enable creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs to protect and promote their intellectual property across borders. It is also a forum for addressing cutting-edge IP issues, and supplies data and information that guide policymakers worldwide. Member states and observers meet regularly across a range of standing committees and working groups. They constantly negotiate the rules needed to keep the international IP system aligned with a changing world, including the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

What Observer Status Means

Observer status is more than a formal recognition, it grants AIEI a formal presence in the discussions. As an observer, AIEI can: 

• attend relevant WIPO Assemblies, Standing Committees, and other meetings, 
• follow policy discussions firsthand, 
• contribute expertise, 
• build relationships with Member States and fellow observers. 

While observers do not hold voting rights, they can meaningfully shape discussions by bringing practical, informed perspectives to the international IP community and by identifying opportunities for collaboration.

For AIEI, this status opens the door to bringing the voice of the AI ethics community into international conversations on intellectual property, innovation, and emerging technologies – while strengthening AIEI’s visibility and credibility as a trusted stakeholder in global policy discussions.

Why This Matters at the Intersection of AI and IP

Artificial intelligence has become a key focus of WIPO’s agenda: questions of AI-generated inventions and creative works, authorship and inventorship, data governance, and the fair use of training data are reshaping how intellectual property frameworks are understood and applied. As these debates unfold, the international IP system needs input not only from legal and technical experts, but from organizations focused on the ethical dimensions of AI. AIEI’s observer status positions it to contribute exactly that perspective at a moment when it is needed.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, AIEI intends to actively participate in relevant WIPO Assemblies, Standing Committees, and related meetings, using its observer status to bring the perspective of the AI ethics community into international discussions on intellectual property, innovation, and emerging technologies. This ongoing engagement offers AIEI a valuable platform to share its expertise while building meaningful relationships with the governments, organizations and stakeholders shaping international policy.

As Roba Hamam, Partner and Legal Director at AÏP Genius, Deputy Chair of Legal Committee at AIEI, notes:

“Observer status at WIPO is an important recognition of an organization’s expertise and commitment. It provides the opportunity to participate in global discussions on intellectual property, contribute informed perspectives, and build meaningful collaborations with governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders. For AIEI, it represents an excellent platform to help shape the much-needed conversations at the intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics, intellectual property, and innovation.”